Music in Primary
2021 Music Guidelines
Read Instructions for Singing Time and the Children's Sacrament Meeting Program starting in 2019.
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Singing time is mostly singing but also includes:
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Be part of the new hymn book and children's song book! Submit new music, provide feedback on your favorite songs, and see more details by clicking here.
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"Leaders and parents can use music as a way to
impress important truths upon the minds and hearts of children." -LDS.org |
Music in Primary:
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Music Resources
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The songs for each week and month should go with the lessons from the Come Follow Me curriculum for the year.
Here are the 2021 songs. www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/instructions-for-singing-time-2021/singing?lang=eng You should prayerfully choose the songs you think will impact the children in your primary. Besides songs to support the gospel lessons each week, you can also choose songs the boys and girls in your Primary love to sing and wiggle songs. |
The Children's Songbook is your main source for music in Primary.
Children all over the world sing these same songs and remember them through their lives. 
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The Friend Magazine also frequently publishes songs which may be used for Primary Singing Time. Here is a list of newer songs published in the Friend. But you can search the Friend clear back to 1972 to find great music for Primary.
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Music Leader Packet
(click on the images to retrieve the printables)
These are the resources we wish we'd had when starting out as new music leaders. Primary Presidencies can print and use these to give to new music leaders so they are armed with the resources and techniques they need to make Singing Time engaging and filled with gospel teachings.
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How Primary presidencies should use this packet
How to use Faith in God during Singing Time
How to Organize the songs during Primary
For examples of how to organize songs during a month of Primary look at the samples from 2016.
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Welcome letter to a new music leader
Tips for the Primary Sacrament Meeting Program
Resources available from LDS.org
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What the Church handbook says about Music in Primary
Teaching music in the Savior's way
What resources can I use to teach music?
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How to Teach Music to Children
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Tips for effective teaching of Primary Songs
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How to Teach a Song Music Wheel
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How to teach music to nursery and sunbeam children
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Songs to sing in nursery
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Specific Ideas for Singing Time
Sign and Sing
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Here is a ward in our stake signing Fathers are So Special.
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Use Actions
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Sister Richards, music leader in the Newport ward, reviewed Keep the Commandments with the children using variety and actions:
*Stand for any words that begin with S *Clap for Keep *Rub hands together for Commandments Sister Armitsteadt, music leader in the Sunnyside Ward, got the idea of singing with streamers from this video that teaches another song with scarves. You could use scarves, streamers, feathers, etc for drawing in the air.
Each line of the song has an action. The children follow the actions of the music leader closely as they sing. At the end of each verse, the music leader draws the actions on the chalkboard and SURPRISE, the children see that they are drawing a mother’s face in the air. Mother I Love You Verse 1: Mother I love you; mother I do. (draw head) Father in Heaven has sent me to you. (draw hair) When I am near you, I love to hear you, (draw ears) Singing so softly that you love me too. (draw eyes) Verse 2: Mother I love you; mother I do. (draw eyelashes) I want to help you because I love you. (draw nose) I want to mind you, I want to find you. (draw rosey cheeks) Happy and smiling because I love you. (draw smile) Mother I love you I love you I do. (draw heart) |
Keep the Commandments with actions
Mother I Love You in action!
Here is the explanation of what the chalk drawing means.
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Use Games
Fishing
Sister Yount, the music leader in Bonner’s Ferry 1st, taught He Sent His Son with a fishing game! All the junior and senior Primary children wanted to participate!
All of the children sang clues from each verse to help the designated fisherman choose the right picture. There was a magnet instead of a hook, and each picture had a magnet on the back. Part of the words were written on the board and Sister Yount matched the pictures to the correct phrase before singing. Sister Yount introduced the topic by asking what Jesus’ disciples were doing when he called them (fishing). Then she asked what he invited them to do (Come follow me). Instead of fish, what did Jesus show his disciples to do? (I will make you fishers of men). What a visual way to teach the scriptures!
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Crazy Hat
Sister Rands caught the attention of the Sandpoint children with the CRAZY HAT. When the music stops, the child with the hat gets to choose the next program review song.
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Rethink the Songs
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Sister Fox of Newport Ward rewrote some of the words to the familiar song Do As I'm Doing to turn it from a fun action song to a meaningful gospel lesson. Newport children sang it in their Primary program with great success and a few goosebumps!
Do as I'm doing, follow follow me! (twice) I learn the scriptures as I read, Pray and ask for what I need. Do as I'm doing, follow, follow me (twice) Serve a mission when I can. Go to the temple, that's my plan! Do as I'm doing, follow follow me. (twice) |
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Present Often
Clark Fork Branch children sing in sacrament meeting every other month. They are so good at performing and singing LOUD because of all the practice they get. The children in the branch love to sing because their singing is also service.
More Ideas
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In every Primary Stake Newsletter, sent out monthly, there are singing time ideas. You can look through past Primary Newsletters for ideas for singing time that have been used successfully in our stake.
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In 2015 newsletters just for music leaders were sent out. You can view each issue by clicking on the images below.
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